Pin curl clip



Dec. 14, 1965 c. D. SEEKINGS E'rAL PIN CURL CLIP Filed March 8. 1963 INVENTORS Tlzamasf. Gannae C/mr/esD. Seek/n s ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,223,095 PIN CURL CLIP Charles D. Seekings, Youngsville, and Thomas E. Gannoe, Warren, Pa., assignors to Sylvania Electric Products Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 263,857 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-46) This invention generally relates to hair setting clips and more particularly to a clip for setting hair in what is known as a pin curl.

The clips used in the past have possessed many disadvantages among which are a clamping action which is too weak; or if the clamping action is sufliciently strong, it has been extremely difiicult to open the clip for insertion into the hair. In some instances it has been attemped to avoid these disadvantages by turning to a more complex construction utilizing two or more pieces. This procedure, however, has resulted in increased production costs and lack of reliability due to the increase in the number of parts and the fact that they must be assembled.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a clip that combines a strong clamping action with ease of operability.

It is another object of this invention to simplify the construction of such a clip thereby reducing the cost.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a pin curl clip that has good reliabilty and very long life characteristics.

In accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided a pin curl clip which is formed from a single strip of resilient material. The clip comprises upper and lower hair gripping leaves joined together at their rear ends by a substantially U-shaped hinge. Finger gripping tabs for opening the leaves are formed from the leaves and are bent rearwardly to extend beyond the hinge. A fulcrum is positioned between the leaves at a point forward of the hinge, thereby giving greater leverage at the finger gripping tabs and allowing a very strong clamping action.

The clip thus provided is very strong, rugged, and simple to produce. It has excellent reliability, and the elimination of any assembly operations greatly reduces the cost.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, advantages, and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a clip;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the clip in its open position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an alternate embodiment, partially in section, of a lower leaf of a clip; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a pin curl clip formed from a single strip of resilient material, such as stainless spring steel, having upper and lower hair gripping leaves 12 and 14, respectively. A substantially U-shaped spring hinge 16 joins the leaves at their respective rear ends and is formed to hold the leaves in a normally closed position while allowing flexing movement therebetween. Upper leaf 12 may be partially bifurcated as at 18 and is further provided with a longitudinal slot 20. The material removed from slot 20 is left attached to leaf 12 at a position forward of hinge 16 and is bent rearwardly to form a first finger gripping tab 22.

Hinge 16 may also be bifurcated, as at 24, and the 3,223,095 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 material removed left attached at one end to lower leaf 14. This material is then formed into a second finger gripping tab 26. The hinge bifurcation 24 has a width greater than the width of first tab 22, thereby allowing tab 22, when depressed, to pass through the hinge and permit the leaves a greater separability than was heretofore possible.

Lower leaf 14 may also be provided with a longitudinal slot 27 as can be seen in FIG. 1. The bifurcation 18 and slot 27 in the leaves 12, 14 not only reduce the weight of the clip but allow the passage of fluids, cremes, and lotions therethrough, these being used on occasion in the setting of hair.

Leaves 12 and 14 may have incorporated therein longitudinally extending, material strengthening, beads 13 and 15 respectively, to provide greater strength and rigidity.

Finger gripping tabs 22 and 26 may also be provided with one or more such beads as shown at 23 and 27.

To further increase the ease of operability of clip 10, there is provided a fulcrum 28 positioned forward of hinge 16. Fulcrum 28 may be fabricated from material lanced from lower leaf 14 and may then be formed to project upwardly through bifurcation 24 to contact tab 22 as is shown in FIG. 3. The fulcrum could also be fabricated from material lanced from tab 22 and be formed to project downwardly to contact lower leaf 14.

There is thus provided a clip which may be formed from a single strip of resilient material. It is strong, rugged, and simple to produce. The position of fulcrum 28 forward of hinge 16 increases the leverage obtainable and allows the utilization of a very strong clamping action without impairing ease of operability. The provision of the bifurcated hinge allows a greater separability of the leaves while permitting the finger gripping tabs to be held to a minimum length, thereby reducing the overall dimension of the clip.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there are shown several alternate embodiments of the invention. In this instance, lower leaf 14 of clip 10 is provided with a bifurcation 30 for a substantial part of its length to increase the ease of insertion into the hair. Also, the inside surfaces of either one or both of the leaves may be roughened as at 32 by the application of knurls or score lines to increase the purchase of the clip in the hair. These knurls or score lines 32 may be of the order of .005 inch deep. Relatively larger corrugations could be substituted for or combined with these score lines to further improve the holding qualities of the clip.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown still another embodiment of the invention. A pin curl clip 34 in this instance has the leaves 12 and 14 formed with a concave curvature along the longitudinal axis thereof so that it will more easily accommodate itself to the curvature of a human head.

It will be apparent from the above description that there is here provided a clip that incorporates many improvements over the prior art. The absence of assembly operations, the fulcrum, and the bifurcated hinge all combine to produce a clip that has long life characteristics yet is simple and economical to fabricate, that has strength and ruggedness and yet remains relatively easy to operate.

While there have been shown and described what are at present considered the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pin curl clip formed from a single strip of resilient material comprising cooperating upper and lower hair gripping leaves having a longitudinal axis, a bifurcated, substantially U-shaped hinge joining said leaves at their respective rear ends to allow flexing movement thereof, said bifurcation having a given width, a first tab having a width less than said given width projecting from the upper one of said leaves from a position forward of said hinge and formed to extend rearwardly of said hinge along said longitudinal axis, a second tab projecting from the lower one of said leaves and extending rearwardly therefrom beyond said hinge, and a fulcrum having a Width less than said given width of said bifurcation positioned forward of said hinge transverse to said longitudinal axis on said lower leaf and projecting upwardly therefrom through said bifurcation for engagement with said first tab during flexing movement.

2. A pin curl clip formed from a single strip of resilient material comprising cooperating upper and lower hair gripping leaves having a. longitudinal axis, said leaves having longitudinally extending, material strengthening, beads formed therein for a substantial part of their length, a bifurcated, substantially U-shaped hinge joining said leaves at their respective rear ends to allow flexing movement thereof, said bifurcation having a given width, a first tab having a width less than said given width projecting from the upper one of said leaves from a position forward of said hinge and formed to extend rearwardly of said hinge along said longitudinal axis, a second tab projecting from the lower one of said leaves and extending rearwardly therefrom beyond said hinge, said first tab and said second tab each having at least one material strengthening bead formed therein, and a fulcrum having a width less than said given width of said bifurcation positioned forward of said hinge transverse to said longitudinal axis on said lower leaf and projecting upwardly therefromthrough said bifurcation for engagement with said first tab during flexing movement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,166,460 7/1939 Burns 13t2-5O 2,838,056 6/1958 Kertesz 13248 2,979,060 4/1961 Reiner 132-48 3,025,581 3/1962 Duell 13248 X FOREIGN PATENTS 402,682 12/ 1933 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PIN CURL CLIP FORMED FROM A SINGLE STRIP OF RESILENT MATERIAL COMPRISING COOPERATING UPPER AND LOWER HAIR GRIPPING LEAVES HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A BIFURCATED, SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED HINGE JOIINING SAID LEAVES AT THEIR RESPECTIVE REAR ENDS TO ALLOW FLEXING MOVEMENT THEREOF, SAID BIFURCATION HAVING A GIVEN WIDTH, A FIRST TAB HAVING A WIDTH LESS THAN SAID GIVEN WIDTH PROJECTING FROM THE UPPER ONE OF SAID LEAVES FROM A POSITION FORWARD OF SAID HINGE AND FORMED TO EXTEND REARWARDLY OF SAID HINGE ALONG SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A SECOND TAB PROJECTING FROM THE LOWER ONE OF SAID LEAVES AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY THERFROM BEYOND SAID HINGE, AND A FULCRUM HAVING A WIDTH LESS THAN SAID GIVEN WIDTH OF SAID BIFURCATION POSITIONED FORWARD OF SAID HINGE TRANSVERSE TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS ON SAID LOWER LEAF AND PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM THROUGH SAID BIFURCATION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST TAB DURING FLEXING MOVEMENT. 